Tonsillotome



Aug. 28, 1923.

o. c. DANIELS TONS ILLOTOME Filed Dec. 22 1921 2 She ets-Sheet 1 N OR O. C. Dame 1s WITNESSES A TTOR/VEYS o. c. DANIELS TONSILLOTOME Filed Dec. 22, 1921 sheets-shut 2 WITNESSES I/VL/ENTOR O. C.Dame1s /Quea I A TTOHNEYS Patented Aug. 28, 1923..

UNITED STATES P E T oFFic E;

--TONSILLOTO1VIT I f Application filed December 22,1921. Serial 110.51 .4302.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, OSCAR (J. 'DANIELS, a citizenof the United. States, and residentof Goldsboro, in the county of Wayne and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tom sillotomes, of which the following is'a specific'ation. 3 q

My invention relates to improvements in surgical instruments adapted for'use in severing and removing tonsils, like portions of the body, and abnormal growths and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein des'cribedand claimed.

An object ofmy invention. is to provide an instrument of the character described which is simple in'constructionand which comprises parts-associated in such manner as to be adapted for convenientdisassembly to permit of cleaning of the parts and the replacement or repair of any part thereof,

, as for instance, the sharpening of the cutting blade.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tonsillotome ha'vingrelatively adjustable members adaptedto grip the parts to be severed, whereby-such parts wills-be securely held in position to be contacted by the moving cutting blade of the device. s

A further object of my invention is to provide a tonsillotome having clamping and cutting members adapted to be operated with one hand to effect a desired removal of a tonsil or like. I

()ther objects and advantages will beapparent from the following specification and the novelfeatures of the inventionv will beparticularly outlined in the appended claims;

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the instrument embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same. -Figure 3 is a rearend View of a portion of the instrument shown in the preceding views, 7

Figure 4: is a perspective view 'ofalspring retaining clip included in the device,

clamp and blade actuating member included in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the preceding views, I f f f Figure 6- is a side elevation of the parts shown in Figure 5,

Figures and 8 are respectively a, plan view and a side elevation of a cutting blade included in the instrument, and

Figure 9 is a plan view of the frame of the instrument. Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to Figure 1 thereof, the numeral 1 denotes a longitudinal supporting frame. which is provided with a depending handle 2 at. one end thereof. The handle preferably is formed integrally with the frame 1 but obviously may be formed separately and attached to the same. I

As illustrated to advantage in Figures- 2 and 9, the longitudinal frame 1 has a widened portion 3 at one end. The body of the frame has afiat upper face 4 disposed for its entire length in the same horizontal plane. An elliptical aperture 5 is formed through the widened portion 8 and is partially encircled by an upstanding marginal flange 6 extending alongthe sidesand ends of the widened portion 3. The flange 6 is bent inward along its upper edge for a purpose which willbe hereinafter set forth.

. The body of the frame 1 is formed with an integral upstanding guidcfiange 8 of substantially U-shape in cross sectional contour at the end thereof provided with the handle .2 and remote from. the aperture 5.

. A blade9 has the form illustrate-din Figures 7 and 8and is adapted to slide on the flat upper face of the frame 1. As shown,

the blade 9 has a widened end portion 10',

thesides of which are adapted toslidingly contact the opposite sides of the guide flange 6 to guidethe blade 9 in its movement relatively to the frame 1. The widened portion 10 has the end thereof sharpened to provide a cutting edge at 11. The end of the blade 9 opposite to the widened portion is bent upward at 12 and the upturned portion 12 has a semi-circular recess or notch 13 formedin the upperside thereof for apurpose which will hereinafter beset forth.

tion of the frame 1. to clamp tonsil or other afflicted portion ofthebody to the frame to be held in the path of the sliding Figure 5 is a top plan view of a combined 7 having the end Tportionsof the side edges thereof smooth, as indicated at 17. The

widened portion 16 is provided with oppo- Cir site lateral flanges 18, 18 adapted to coopcrate with the sides of the guide flange 6 on the widened end portion of the frame 1.

An integral enlargement or boss 19 is formed on the longitudinal member at the end thereof opposite that having the widened portion and the enlargen'ient 19 has a portion 20 extending beyond the end of the member 15 at a level higher than the plane of the latter. A rod or spindle 21 carried by the enlargement 19 tends in axial alignment withthe portion 20 and in parallelism with the plane of the upper face of the member 1 1-, being at a higher level and extending a predetermined distance beyond the end of the member 15. A sleeve 22 is mounted for rotation on the spindle 21 and is provided with a stud 23 arranged to protrude from the side thereof adjacent to the forward end of the sleeve, which forward end has a bearing at 2st. The sleeve 22 is screw threaded externally for part of its length, as indicated at 25. A nut 26 threadedly engages the spindle 21 adjacent to its outer end and may be rotated on the spindle to occasion the clamping of the sleeve 22 against the bearing 24 to hold the sleeve against rotation on the spindle.

A thumb nut or wheel 27 of larger diameter is adapted to engage the threaded portion of the sleeve 22 and is formed with a forwardly extending collar portion 28 having an integral radially extending annular flange 29 at its forward end. A wing nut 29 is fixedly secured on the threaded portion of the screw at the rearward or outer end of the latter.

The body of the frame 1 is provided with an elongated opening 30 therethrough intermediately of its length and extending longitudinally of the frame. A slot 31 formed through the blade 9 overlies the elongated opening 30 and is considerably longer than the latter; An upstanding projection 32 is formed on the upper face of the blade 9 at a spaced distance from the forward end of the slot 31. The member 15 is formed with aligned spaced slots 33 and34c respectively extending longitudinally thereof, the slot being adapted to receive the projection 32- and the slot 31 being arranged to overlie the slot 31 when the blade 9 and the member 15 are superimposed upon the frame 1 with the blade 9 between theupper face of the frame 1 and the member 15. V

In assembling the instrument, the blade 9 is placed upon the flat upper face of the frame 1 with the widened portion 10 disposed between the sides of the guide flange 6 and with the slot 31 overlying the elongat ed opening 30. The end of the blade 9 hav ing the upturned portion 12 will extend beyond thecorresponding end of the frame 1. The blade actuating means hereinbefor'e de scribed are now arranged onthe frame in therein, and the slot is in substantial registry with the slot31 of the blade, the sleeve '22 being embraced and in sliding contact with the overhanging guide flange 8 on the frame 1 at the rearward end of the latter. The parts ust described are maintalned in assembled relation by a spring clip 35 which has a stud 36 depending from the lower side thereof and having a head 37 formed with the sides thereof extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the spring member 35 flattened, as indicated at 38. The spring clip 35 is turned until positioned at right angles to the body of the frame and the stud 36 is then projected through tne slot 31, slot 31 and the elongated opening 30 in turn. The spring clip 35 is then turned until super imposed upon the member 15, at which time the head 37 of the stud 36 will engage with the under face of the frame 1 adjacent to the elongated opening 30 to prevent the withdrawal of the stud 3G. The member 15 and the blade 9 will thus be yieldingly and releasably maintained superimposed upon the frame 1 for movement longitudinally of the latter, as a unit, and for movement longitudinally of the frame 1v independently of each other.

As stated, the sleeve 22 is engaged by the overhanging U-shapd guide flan e 8 when assembled in the manner described. The guide flange 8 is formed with aslot 39 there in extendin transversely" from the outer edge thereof and terminating at a diametrically opposite point. The outer wall of the slot 39 is curved toward the outer end of the guide flange so that the notch is wider at its open end than at any other point and to define a cam surface 4E0 adapted to cooperate with the stud 23 to advance the sleeve 22 and the parts associated therewith longitudinally of the frame 1 when the stud 23 is moved along the cam side/. 10 of the slot 39 from the open end thereof to its opposite end. i

In practice, the operation of the instru-. ment is as follows: I

The handle 2 is grasped and the frame 1 is positioned in such manner that the tonsil or like part that is to be removed projects through the aperture 5 and between the smooth edge 17 of the portion 16 and the confronting portion of the wall of the aperture 5. l

The tonsil or like part will be clamped between the smooth edge 16 and the confronting portion of the edge of the aperture 5 when the stud 23 has been rotated approximately 180v from the position in which illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 5 and is disposed against the cam surface 40 at the outer end of the slot Itwillbeapparent that the sleeve may befrotated by turning the thumb nut 29 to move the stud 23- along the cam surface 40 and th at such movement will occasion alongitudinal.movement of the member 15 so that the tonsil orv other part to be removed will be clamped between the smooth edge 17 and the confrontingpofl tion of the edge of the aperture The upturned portion 12 of the blade embraces the collar 28 between the flange 29 and the thumb nut 27, which collar rests in the recess l3. 7 ll hen the thumb nut '27 is rotated the blade 9 will be advanced so that the ton sil or portion projecting through the ape-rture 5 and clamped between the edgel'l' and the wall of the aperture will be severed. In Figures 1 and 2 the blade is shown in a fully extended position after thecuttingoperation has been completed. It will be ob served that the cutting edge 11 has been moved through a slot 41 in the end of the flange 6. The pitch of the threads 25 may be such that a slight rotationalmovement of the thumb nutQT' will occasion a movement of the blade from retracted position to wholly extended position as illustrated.

It will be apparent that the instrument illustrated may be readily disassembled and the parts thereof cleaned or the blade sharpened when required. .The means described for actuating the blade during the cutting operation may be quickly and'readily operated with sufiicient force to effect the best results in a surgical operation'of the character mentioned.

I claim j I r 1. A surgical instrument comprising a longitudinal frame provided with a handle at one end and having an aperture formed therethrough adjacent to its other end,said frame having a flat upper face, a flat longitudinal blade member slidable on the upper face of the frame and being formed with a cutting edge adapted to be moved across the said aperture, a longitudinal clamping member superimposed on said blade and having one end thereof formed to'cooperate wit the confrontin aortion of the wall of said i aperture to grip an object projected through the aperture, said clamping member being formed with an enlargement at its end remote from the aperture, and means carried by said enlargement and coacting with the frame and with the blade in such manner as to permit of the reciprocation of the clamping member and the blade as a unit relatively to the frame and of the reciprocation of the blade independentlyof the clamping member. 7.

2. A surgical instrument comprising a frame having a longitudinal body formed with a flat upper face and having an aperture therethrough adjacent. to one end and overhanging substantially U-shaped guide-flange at its otherend, a longitudinal blade member slidable on the frame and having a widened end portion provided with a cutting edge and adapted to cooperate with ment of the latter on the frame and engaging the U-shaped guide flange portion of the frame in such manner as to permit of the control of the movement of the blade and upper clamping member as a unit rela tively to the frame.

'3. A surgical instrument comprising a supporting frame having a longitudinal body formed with an aperture therethrough at its forward end and with an integral overhanging substantially Ushaped flange adjacent .to its rearward end, a longitudinal blade slidable upon said frame and having a cutting edge at its forward end, an upstanding portion at its rearward end, a

lon itudinal clam Jin member su erim- {1 2:7 I

posed upon said blade and adapted at its forward end to cooperate with the forward portion of said frame to occasion the gripping .of an object projected through the aperture, and means carried by said longi- .tudinal clamping member at its rearward end for coacting with the upturned portion of the blade and with the substantially U- shaped flange of the frame to control the longitudinal reciprocatory movement of the blade'and the upper clamping member as a unit on the frame and the longitudinal reciprocatory movement of the blade on the frame independentlyof the said clamping member.

o 4. A surgical instrument comprising a supporting frame having a longitudinal bodyformed with an aperture 'therethro-u'gh adjacent to its forward end and with an in-c tegral overhanging substantially U-shaped flange adjacent to its rear end, said flange having a slot formed therein in such manner as to provide'a cam surface, a longitudinal blade member slidable upon the frame and being formed with a. cutting edge at its forward end and with an upturned portion atits rearward end, an upper longitudinal clamping member superimposed upon said blade and having its forward end adapted to cooperate with the confronting portion of the wall of said aperture to occasion the gripping of an object projected, through said aperture, I a spindle extending from the rearward end of said upper clamplng member and being upwardly offset with respect to the plane of said upper clamping member, a sleeve rotataly mounted upon said spindle and em braced by the substantially U-shaped flange of the frame, means carried by the spindle at the free end thereof for 7 locking the sleeve against rotation at will, a projection extending laterally of said sleeve and engaging said cam surface of the flange to effect a longitudinal reciprocation of said sleeve and of said clampingmember when said sleeve is rotated, a thumb wheel threadedly engaging the sleeve and adjustable thereon, a collar mounted on the sleeve and secured to the thumb wheel, said collar being; embraced by the upturned portion of said blade and being provided with an annular flange at its forward end, whereby said upturned portion of the blade is prevented from disengaging said collar.

5. In a surgical instrument of the character described, a supporting frame having a longitudinal body having an overhanging substantially U-shaped flange at its rearward end, said flange having a slot formed through the walls thereof in such manner as to provide a cam surface, a longitudinal blade member slidable on the body, a longitudinal clamping member superimposed on the blade member for movement relatively to the frame, a spindle extending anially from the rearward end of said clamping member, a sleeve rotatably mounted on said spindle and extending through said U-shaped flange, adjustable means for re leasably locking said sleeve against longi tudinal movement relatively to the clamping member, a radial projection on the sleeve for engaging the cam surface of the slot to effect reciprocation 01 the clamping member, and means adjustable longitudinally of the sleeve and engaging the adjacent end portion of the blade member to hold the latter for reciprocation with the clamping member and to effect reciprocation of the blade member independently of the clamping member as desired.

OSCAR C. DANIELS. 

